Probability Problem

I'm actually completely lost on this one...just cannot get my head around the probability thing:

An examiner gives different marks to each of three scripts that she
corrects. The names of the three candidates are not on the scripts; and she
has lost the list associating their names with the numbers on the scripts;
hence she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates. What
is the probability that:
(i) all three candidates get the correct mark?
(ii) none do?
(iii) at least two do?
(iv) exactly two do?
(v) only one does?
(vi) at least one does?

I'm actually completely lost on this one...just cannot get my head around the probability thing:

An examiner gives different marks to each of three scripts that shecorrects. The names of the three candidates are not on the scripts; and shehas lost the list associating their names with the numbers on the scripts;hence she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates. Whatis the probability that:(i) all three candidates get the correct mark?(ii) none do?(iii) at least two do?(iv) exactly two do?(v) only one does?(vi) at least one does?

Thanks so much!

Let X be the random variable number of scripts that get the correct mark.

X ~ Binomial(n = 3, p = 1/3).

If you're not familiar with the binomial distribution, please say so and I'll show how to get these from first principles using counting (combinatorial)techniques.

I'm actually completely lost on this one...just cannot get my head around the probability thing:

An examiner gives different marks to each of three scripts that she
corrects. The names of the three candidates are not on the scripts; and she
has lost the list associating their names with the numbers on the scripts;
hence she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates. What
is the probability that:
(i) all three candidates get the correct mark?
(ii) none do?
(iii) at least two do?
(iv) exactly two do?
(v) only one does?
(vi) at least one does?

Thanks so much!

desemenjante,

It all hinges on your interpretation of the phrase "she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates". Let's say the marks are 70, 80, and 90. If you think she simply chooses a mark at random from the list for each candidate, (then for example, all three candidates might be assigned a mark of 70), you will end up with a binomial distribution for the number of correct matchings, as suggested by Mr. Fantastic.

However, an alternative interpretation that seems more likely to me is that she randomly selects one of the 3! = 6 permutations of the marks. So, for example, the three candidates might be assigned marks of 80, 70, and 90, but it is not possible that all three candidates might be assigned the same mark. With this interpretation you will not get a binomial distribution for the number of correct matchings, because the matchings are not independent. The answer to (i) is then 1/6, because only one of the 6 permutations leads to a correct match for all three candidates. (I'm assuming here that the marks are distinct, otherwise you will have a different problem.) To answer the other questions, the simplest strategy is to list all 6 permutations and count the number of correct matches in each case.

It all hinges on your interpretation of the phrase "she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates". Let's say the marks are 70, 80, and 90. If you think she simply chooses a mark at random from the list for each candidate, (then for example, all three candidates might be assigned a mark of 70), you will end up with a binomial distribution for the number of correct matchings, as suggested by Mr. Fantastic.

However, an alternative interpretation that seems more likely to me is that she randomly selects one of the 3! = 6 permutations of the marks. So, for example, the three candidates might be assigned marks of 80, 70, and 90, but it is not possible that all three candidates might be assigned the same mark. With this interpretation you will not get a binomial distribution for the number of correct matchings, because the matchings are not independent. The answer to (i) is then 1/6, because only one of the 6 permutations leads to a correct match for all three candidates. (I'm assuming here that the marks are distinct, otherwise you will have a different problem.) To answer the other questions, the simplest strategy is to list all 6 permutations and count the number of correct matches in each case.

The last one is te one I had in mind...but "counting" combinations seemed so "unmathematical" and completely unlike my tutor

He made us do another great one:

In a certain country, all married couples desire 2 male children. Up to a maximum of

n = 4 children, they continue to procreate until they have two boys. Male and female children are equally probable and successive sexes
are independent. What is (i) the average family size and (ii) the sex ratio,
in this country? How would these numbers change if n could be infinitely
large?

I'm confused about whether they'd try to have a fourth child if they already have three girls (considering they cannot make their "2 male children" goal then anyway.

I'm actually completely lost on this one...just cannot get my head around the probability thing:

An examiner gives different marks to each of three scripts that shecorrects. The names of the three candidates are not on the scripts; and shehas lost the list associating their names with the numbers on the scripts;hence she assigns the three marks randomly to the three candidates. Whatis the probability that:(i) all three candidates get the correct mark?(ii) none do?(iii) at least two do?(iv) exactly two do?(v) only one does?(vi) at least one does?

The last one is te one I had in mind...but "counting" combinations seemed so "unmathematical" and completely unlike my tutor

He made us do another great one:

In a certain country, all married couples desire 2 male children. Up to a maximum of

n = 4 children, they continue to procreate until they have two boys. Male and female children are equally probable and successive sexes

are independent. What is (i) the average family size and (ii) the sex ratio,

in this country? How would these numbers change if n could be infinitely

large?

I'm confused about whether they'd try to have a fourth child if they already have three girls (considering they cannot make their "2 male children" goal then anyway.

Here's the way I see it:

(i) Let X be the random variable number of children in family.

X = 2: BB. Pr(X = 2) = 1/4.

X = 3: BGB or GBB. Pr(X = 3) = 1/8 + 1/8 = 1/4.

X = 4: GBGA, GGBA or GGGA where A is either B or G. Pr(X = 4) = 1 - 1/4 - 1/4 = 1/2.
(I'm assuming that families have the maximum possible number of children, regardless of whether they get two boys or not).

I was wondering, when you calculated the probabilities in the n=4 cases, wouldn't the number of possible combination be 10 rather than 16 as the combinations BBBG, BBGB, BBBB, BGBG, GBBB, BBBG have to be excluded as the families would stop having children after they got two boys?

I was wondering, when you calculated the probabilities in the n=4 cases, wouldn't the number of possible combination be 10 rather than 16 as the combinations BBBG, BBGB, BBBB, BGBG, GBBB, BBBG have to be excluded as the families would stop having children after they got two boys?

Sorry but i don't follow your question. What is the n= 4 cases you refer to? I haven't used n in my solution ....... And as far as I can see, I haven't included BBBG, BBGB, BBBB, BGBG, GBBB, BBBG when looking at families with 4 children ......